KATHMANDU: UCPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ today said that his party was ready to correct the past mistakes and shortcomings if other parties, which had encouraged the President to take “an unconstitutional step”, too did the same. “The political parties, who forced the President to take unconstitutional step thinking that the Maoists were attempting to capture the state power, should realise their mistake,” he said while addressing a programme organised by the Nepal FM to mark its sixth anniversary.

He, however, termed the Maoist-led government decision to sack the then CoAS Rookmangud Katawal “an action of the government against one of its employees”.

Prachanda reiterated that the plan to declare the autonomous states was only meant for publicity. “We had declared different autonomous states during the war and we only wanted to let people know that UCPN-Maoist is still committed to federalism,” he said. “However, we have no intention to run parallel government whatsoever.” Saying that the Interim Constitution clearly states Nepal being a federal democratic republic, Prachanda maintained that declaring autonomous republican states was not against the spirit of CA and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. He also urged the parties not to be suspicious about his party’s plan. Prachanda said that his party was compelled to suspect the intention of some parties which began saying that federalism would invite disintegration of the country and the CA should be dissolved.